"I’ve just come from that doss-house of which I told you. I pretended to the boss that I wanted a Chinese cook to take out with me. He was an ugly old Cantonese, and took me into his little room—pugh! how the place did reek of garlic and stale clothes—and went off to try and find one. Whilst I was waiting I heard a shrill argument going on in the next room—there was only a wooden partition between—and presently I heard a voice, which I would swear anywhere was Hopkins’s, ordering silence." "He told us he was off to the theatre," interposed Helston, now thoroughly awake. "You can imagine I was on the qui vive then, and did my best to hear what was going on. Two Chinamen were evidently trying to extort money from him, but they were talking so shrilly and so fast—you know how they talk when they are excited—that I could not make out much of it till another voice chimed in, and I distinctly heard: ’He smokee too muchee opium, massa. Me go shakee him—no can move—vely big man—no can wait—go topside plenty quick—jump in boat—all plenty chop, chop—then makee blow up. Ah Tung belong dead man—you pay blother fifty dollars can do—all belong ploper.’ You know their pidgin-English?" "Can you swear it was Hopkins’s voice?" asked Helston. "That must have been the brother of the man killed in the powder barge." "I would swear to that beastly nasal twang anywhere." It was early next morning when the two separated, and then they had decided not to let Hopkins suspect that they knew his treachery, and still to allow him to reckon on joining the expedition. "In fact," said Helston, "to have him on board will be our best safeguard, and we must see that he does not give us the slip." The detective reported that Hopkins had been to the "doss-house" the night before, adding, with a smile, "which you probably know already, sir, for you were there too". As the Doctor and Helston were leaving the hotel—Helston going to his office and the Doctor for a walk—Hopkins joined them. "Any work for your secretary, Captain?" he asked good-humouredly. "I guess I’m just aching for a bit of quill-driving. I’m just about the cut of a secretary, am I not?" and he opened out his broad shoulders and smacked his chest vigorously. "Not till we get afloat, thanks," said Helston. "All right; I’ll just come along with you to the corner, and then I’ll be off. Have to make a few dollars—you Britishers aren’t half smart—before I go sailoring again." As they came to the end of the street they saw a small crowd curiously gazing at three Chinamen looking in at an A.B.C. shop. "I’ll pull those three fellows’ legs," said the American, and, as they forced their way through the little crowd, he whistled the first line of "Chin, Chin, Chinaman". The crowd recognized the tune at once, and there were shouts of "Chin, Chin, Chinaman!" The Chinese turned round with fury in their eyes, whilst the crowd jeered at them.